Too many officers
By Nigel Nelson Political Editor [email protected]
Britain's desperately undermanned Army has TOO MANY senior officers, new figures reveal.

The military are short of 4,328 ordinary squaddies but have 830 top brass of colonel rank and above - 83 more than they need.

There are 66 generals to command an Army down to 98,000 regular troops.

Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox said: "The Army is short of boots on the ground and skills where they are needed."

Lib Dem defence spokesman Nick Harvey said: "If we keep reducing the size of the armed forces there is no point retaining excessive numbers of senior ranks.

"The MoD must see whether there is still a meaningful role for them to perform." As Army casualties rise in Afghanistan the Gurkhas are the only frontline regiment with more men than needed.

Infantry units are short of 364 personnel, signals 345, artillery 324 and engineers 612. Another 254 medics and 303 nurses are needed.

The Army is even 20 short of the 160 chaplains it needs despite salaries of Â£53,350. The Commons Defence Committee said soldiers are quitting because of the strain of operating at full capacity in Afghanistan and Iraq.